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Question Tags 1: Checking Information

By the end: I can check familiar information with a matching question tag and give a clear reply.

Created by Denis M., British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Playback speed

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

You think a class starts at six, but you are not certain. How could you check?

Useful background: Be, common auxiliaries, present simple and past simple questions.

Match the auxiliary

A tag is a short checking question at the end of a statement. Reuse be, a modal or another auxiliary, then a pronoun for the subject. In the common pattern taught here, a positive statement takes a negative tag.

You are ready, aren’t you?

Maya can drive, can’t she?

The fully blonde adult reference checks that an adult companion is ready to leave for an evening event. The companion holds a coat and compact bag near a refined hallway door; she asks with a natural friendly expression. The scene supports checking familiar information, without any written speech bubble. — You are ready, aren’t you?The tag copies are and changes to the common negative checking pattern.

Use do when needed

With an ordinary present or past simple verb, use do, does or did in the tag. A negative statement normally takes a positive tag. Match the tense and the person.

Leo works here, doesn’t he?

They didn’t cancel, did they?

Reply to the situation

Yes normally confirms a positive situation; no confirms a negative one. After You don’t eat meat, do you?, Yes, I do means I eat meat. Tone and context can make a tag a genuine check or an invitation to agree.

You haven’t paid, have you? No, I haven’t.

It’s a useful app, isn’t it?

Reply to the fact, even when the opening statement is negative

The checkYou haven’t bought a ticket yet, have you?

The speaker is checking an assumption.

A ticket has been boughtYes, I have.

I bought one online last night.

No ticket has been boughtNo, I haven’t.

This confirms the negative situation.

Yes confirms the positive fact of buying a ticket. No confirms the negative fact. A negative opening statement does not force a no answer.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Compare the meaning and form; the model is one possible answer.

1. Add a tag: You’re tired, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

aren’t you

Match are with you and reverse the polarity.

2. Add a tag: Ben can swim, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

can’t he

Reuse can rather than introducing does.

3. Add a tag: They live nearby, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

don’t they

Use do-support for live in the present simple.

4. Add a tag: She left early, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

didn’t she

Left is past simple, so the tag uses did.

5. Add a tag: We aren’t late, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

are we

A negative statement takes a positive tag in this pattern.

6. Add a tag: Mia has finished, ___?

Compare a model and explanation

hasn’t she

Has is the auxiliary in has finished.

7. Someone asks You didn’t call, did you? You called at nine. Reply clearly.

Compare a model and explanation

Yes, I did. I called at nine.

Answer the real situation, not the negative wording alone.

8. Explain why You’re coming, aren’t you? can sound like a check or an expectation.

Compare a model and explanation

The speaker’s context and intonation show how certain they are and whether they are inviting agreement.

The written tag alone does not reveal every aspect of the speaker’s attitude.

A short conversation

Listen first if you can, then open the transcript when useful.

Open the conversation transcript

A: The workshop starts at ten, doesn’t it?

B: Yes, it does. And we’re meeting outside, aren’t we?

A: That’s right. You haven’t bought a ticket yet, have you?

B: Yes, I have. I bought one online last night.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have their own score.

Answer key

Is the second speaker joining?

Yes Yes, I am confirms that they are joining.

When did it close?

At seven The reply corrects the proposed closing time.

What is confirmed?

The speaker may bring a friend. Yes, I can confirms the ability or permission stated.

The same fully blonde adult reference and companion share a warm conversation in a refined cinema foyer after an enjoyable screening. Her gentle smile invites agreement that it was a good film. Keep all film posters absent or wholly abstract and unreadable. — It was a good film, wasn’t it?Wasn’t it refers back to the film and checks or invites agreement.

Use it in your own words

Speaking task 1

Check three arrangements for a lesson: time, place and what to bring. Use three different auxiliaries in tags.

Reveal a possible response

We’re meeting at six, aren’t we? The room has a screen, doesn’t it? We can use our notes, can’t we?

Success check: Match the statement’s subject and auxiliary in each tag.

Speaking task 2

A partner makes two incorrect assumptions about your routine. Reply to the facts and add a correction.

Reveal a possible response

You don’t work on Saturdays, do you? Yes, I do, but only in the morning. You drive there, don’t you? No, I don’t. I walk.

Success check: Make positive and negative replies consistent with the situation.

Speaking task 3

Say one tag as a genuine check and another as a friendly invitation to agree. Explain the difference in context.

Reveal a possible response

The class starts at seven, doesn’t it? I’m checking because I forgot. That was a useful class, wasn’t it? Here I’m sharing a positive reaction.

Success check: Use context as well as tone; do not claim that one pitch pattern always has one meaning.

Take it with you

I can check familiar information with a matching question tag and give a clear reply.